I have lived and worked in Hong Kong, I have also been to Istanbul!
Culture difference to HK is probably less than to Europe!
However I think that you will find that the xxx.xxx thousands of pilots that are unemployed in EU land, probably do not want Turkey to become EU member as it is already a struggle to find a job.
Second, if you ever get a chance, you will most likely need money to pay for your own TR!
This does not differ over the frontiers, USA / EU same issue, most EU citizens can not work in the USA, and vice versa, however all can go to Middle East and Asia!
2 years crisis, good you can be optimistic, it has already lasted nearly 3 years, as far as I can see, and just recently gone worse!
The last thing EU needs now, is to be flooded by millions of Turkish people, please do not take this the wrong way, the EU politicians normally do what they want to do, but not even they can be that out of touch with the people within EU now.
I have pilot friends from Greece, that tell me the reality, and it is worse than we can imagine!